Rotary bungalow comprising a cabin, rotary shaft and support unit, water pipe, water pump, and water tank installed under the cabin

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6457280
  • Patent Number
    6,457,280
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, March 13, 2001
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, October 1, 2002
    23 years ago
Abstract
Disclosed is a rotary bungalow, comprising a cabin forming an inner space therein; a hollow rotary shaft extended downward from the cabin; a support unit rotatably supporting the rotary shaft; a water tank installed under the cabin; a water pipe extended between the water tank and the cabin through the rotary shaft; and a water pump drawing in the water within the water tank through the water pipe to the cabin. With this configuration, the user is allowed to use the rotary bungalow conveniently and pleasantly.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a rotary bungalow.




2. Description of the Related Art




Typically, a bungalow is used in a recreation center at rivers, mountains, beaches, etc. to provide travelers, mountaineers, etc. with a space for rest or camping, etc. A rotary bungalow is rotatable in response to a user's desire, considering a view, an amount of sunshine or the direction of the wind, etc. at the area to be located.




Referring to

FIG. 5

which is a sectional view of a conventional rotary bungalow, the conventional rotary bungalow


101


is comprised of a cabin


110


provided with an indoor space therein, a support unit


120


supporting the cabin


110


so as to be spaced from the ground to a predetermined height, and a rotary unit


150


rotating the cabin


110


.




The cabin


110


is comprised of a rectangular plate member


111


forming a bottom thereof, a plurality of wall members


112


uprightly disposed on sides of the plate member


111


, forming an indoor space thereof, and a ceiling member


113


disposed on the top of the wall members


112


, covering the indoor space. The wall member


112


of the cabin


110


is provided with a door


118


and a window


117


. Under the door


118


is mounted a ladder


119


allowing the user to come in and out.




The support unit


120


is comprised of a pillar-shaped support column


121


uprightly installed on the ground and a support base


123


buried in the ground, supporting a lower end of the support column


121


. The rotary unit


150


is comprised of a fixed table


151


coupled to an upper end of the support column


121


, and a rotatable table


153


installed on the central lower surface of the cabin


110


, rotating relative to the fixed table


151


.




The fixed table


151


is comprised of a circular lower plate


161


fixed to the top end of the support column


121


, having a hole


164


formed in the center thereof, and a plurality of rollers


163


installed in the periphery of the lower plate


161


, rotatably supporting the rotatable table


153


. In a portion of the lower plate


161


is provided a fixed pin


165


allowing the rotatable table


153


to be rotated or fixed.




The rotatable table


153


is comprised of a circular upper plate


171


coupled to a central region of the plate member


111


of the cabin


110


, a flange


173


extended downward from the edge of the upper plate


171


, for accommodating the fixed table


151


therein, and a central shaft


174


protruding downward from the central lower region of the upper plate


171


to be rotatably coupled to the central hole


164


of the fixed table


151


.




With this configuration, the rotatable table


153


installed on the plate member


111


of the cabin


110


is rotatably placed on the rollers


163


of the fixed table


151


, thereby rotating the cabin


110


.




However, the conventional rotary bungalow is not provided with water supply facilities for supplying water into the cabin, for which the user is not allowed for cooking and washing, etc. within the cabin. In addition, since the conventional rotary bungalow is not provided with a draining unit for draining water and sewage to be generated from cooking, washing and easing nature, etc., it is in fact impossible to cook, wash and go to stool, etc. within the cabin. As a consequence, the user has to endure with inconvenience, that is, to use a common kitchenette, a common washroom and a common laboratory, etc.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a rotary bungalow having water supply facilities supplying water into a cabin.




Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary bungalow having a draining unit draining water and sewage generated within the cabin.




These and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished by a provision of a rotary bungalow comprising a cabin provided with an indoor space therein; a hollow rotary shaft extended downward from the cabin; a support unit rotatably supporting the rotary shaft; a water tank installed under the cabin; a water pipe extended between the-water tank from the cabin through the rotary shaft; and a water pump pumping the water within the water tank through the water pipe to the cabin.




Preferably, the water tank is buried in the ground.




Desirably, the water pump is installed within the cabin, and the water pipe and the water pump are rotated when the cabin is rotated.




It is also preferable that the rotary bungalow further comprises a draining pipe extended downward from the cabin so as to discharge sanitary and sewage water from the cabin, being rotated along with the cabin; and a water collector provided in the support unit, storing the sanitary and sewage water from the draining pipe.




Preferably, the water collector includes a discharge pipe discharging the stored sanitary and sewage water in the water collector.




Effectively, the water collector is comprised of the first storage and the second storage disposed concentrically so as to store the sanitary water and the sewage water respectively.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The present invention will be better understood and its various objects and advantages will be more fully appreciated from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a rotary bungalow according to the present invention;





FIG. 2

a sectional view taken along line II—II of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

an exploded perspective view of a support unit and a rotary unit of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 4

is an enlarged perspective view of “A” of

FIG. 3

; and





FIG. 5

is a section view of a conventional rotary bungalow.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Referring to

FIGS. 1 through 4

, a rotary bungalow


1


according to the present invention is comprised of a cabin


10


provided with an indoor space therein, a support unit


20


supporting the cabin


10


so as to be spaced from the ground to a predetermined distance, a rotary unit


40


coupled to the lower part of the cabin


10


and rotatably supported by the support unit


20


, a driving unit


50


rotating the rotary unit


40


, a water tank


60


installed under the cabin


10


, a water supply unit


80


supplying water stored in the water tank


60


into the cabin


10


, and a draining unit


86


draining out the sewage generated within the cabin


10


.




The cabin


10


is comprised of a polygonal lower plate


11


forming an indoor bottom thereof, a plurality of wall members


12


uprightly disposed on the respective sides of the lower plate


11


, forming an indoor space, and a ceiling member


18


disposed so as to cover a top opening of the wall face members


12


.




The lower plate


11


, the wall members


12


and the ceiling member


13


constituting the cabin


10


by assemblage are made of polyurethane foaming material, or synthetic resin or wooden panel internally formed with other insulating materials. Within the cabin


10


are provided a small sink unit


14


for cooking, a toilet


96


, a washstand (not shown) and a small bed for rest (not shown), etc. for the sake of convenience for the users. Outside the cabin


10


are separately installed a small warehouse (not shown) and a balcony


15


, etc. The water supply unit


80


supplies water to the sink unit


14


, the toilet


96


and the washstand (not shown) provided inside the cabin


10


from the outside.




One wall member


12


is provided with a door


18


to allow the user to come in and out, and the other wall face members


12


are provided with either a window for ventilation


17


of an indoor air and a balcony window


16


, etc. A ladder


19


is elevatably mounted outside the door


18


to allow the user to come in and out of the cabin


10


.




The support unit


20


is comprised of a hollow support column


21


uprightly mounted on the ground, a circular fixed table


22


provided in the upper end of the support column


21


, rotatably supporting the lower part of the cabin


10


, and a support base


23


buried under the ground, to be coupled to the lower end of the support column


21


.




The support column


21


is made of a tubular pipe member. On the upper end of the support column


21


are disposed a plurality of support ribs


33


with the same interval along the circumference thereof, for supporting the lower part of the fixed table


22


. On the lower end of the support column


21


is formed a support flange


32


coupled to the support base


23


by a plurality of anchor bolts


32




a.


A plurality of bearing seats vertically spaced from each other are formed inside the support column


21


, and a roller bearing


37


rotatably supporting a rotary shaft


41


of the rotary unit


40


to be described later is installed in each bearing seat


31


.




In the central portion of the fixed table


22


is formed a shaft passing hole


34


communicating with the inside of the support column


21


. On the edge of the fixed table


22


is provided a wall


35


extended upward to a predetermined height along the circumference thereof.




The support base


23


is substantially in the shape of rectangular parallelepiped of concrete, and it has such volume as to prevent the support column


21


from being moved by a weight of the cabin


10


. In the central portion of the support base


23


is formed a passing hole


36


communicating with the inside of the support column


21


.




The rotary unit


40


is comprised of a rotary table


42


rotatably installed on the top of the fixed table


22


of the support column


21


, supporting the lower part of the cabin


10


, and a hollow rotary shaft


41


extended downward from the central portion of the rotary table


42


.




The rotary table


42


has a polygonal plane corresponding to the lower plate


11


of the cabin


10


, supporting a lower circumference of the cabin


10


so as to be spaced from the lower plate


11


of the cabin


10


to a predetermined distance. As shown in

FIG. 3

, in the central portion of the rotary table


42


is formed a pipe passing hole


44


communicating with the inside of the rotary shaft


41


; in the lower surface of the rotary table


42


is formed a surrounding wall


45


protruding downward so as to surround the wall


35


of the fixed table


22


described above.




The rotary shaft


41


is made of a tubular pipe having a smaller inner diameter than that of the support column


21


of the support unit


20


, and is concentrically accommodated inside the support column


21


through the shaft passing hole


34


of the support unit


20


. A plurality of journals


47


are formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft


41


, the journals


47


being rotatably supported by the roller bearing


37


installed inside the support column


21


. On the lower end of the rotary shaft


41


is provided a bent flange


49


(

FIG. 2

) extended radially, so as to surround an extension


65


formed along the edge of a water pipe passing hole


64


of the water tank


60


to be described later.




The driving means


50


is comprised of a rail


51


installed on the top face of the fixed table


22


of the support unit


20


, a plurality of rollers


53


installed on the bottom face of the rotary table


42


of the rotary unit


40


, traveling along the rail


51


, a driving motor


55


for a low-speed rotation installed on the bottom face of the rotary table


42


, rotating the rollers


53


, and a power supply (not shown) supplying power to the driving motor


55


. Although it is not shown, the external power supply is supplied by a cable (not shown) passing through the inside of the support column


21


.




The rail


51


is formed of a circular loop, along the planar circumference between the shaft passing hole


34


formed in the central portion of the fixed table


22


and the outer wall


35


formed in the outer circumference of the fixed table


22


. The rollers


53


are installed with the same interval on the bottom face of the rotary table


42


, corresponding to the rail


51


. The driving motor


44


is connected to either of the plurality of rollers


53


.




With this configuration, if power is supplied to the driving motor


55


, the roller


53


slowly rotates to travel along the rail


51


. At this time, the other rollers


53


installed on the lower circumferential face of the rotary table


42


freely rotates to travel along the rail


51


installed in the top face of the fixed table


22


, to thereby allow the rotary table


42


to be slowly rotated relative to the fixed table


22


. Accordingly, the cabin


10


supported by combination with the rotary table


42


of the rotary unit


40


is slowly rotated together with the rotary unit


40


.




Under the cabin


10


is buried the water tank


60


within the ground. The water tank


60


is comprised of a water pipe receiver part


61


whose upper end is received in the lower portion of the support column


21


through the passing hole


36


of the support base


23


, a storage part


62


disposed beside of the support base


23


, storing the water supplied from an external water source, and a communicator part


63


communicating the storage part


62


and the water pipe receiver part


61


.




On the top end of the water pipe receiver part


61


is formed the water pipe passing hole


64


. To the water pipe passing hole


64


is mounted the extension


65


extended upward along the circumference thereof. The extension


65


is, as described above, enclosed by the bent flange


49


of the rotary shaft


41


, thereby preventing foreign materials from being introduced into the water tank


60


.




Beside the storage part


62


is provided a water supply part


71


being supplied with water from the external water source. On the top portion of the storage part


62


are provided a manhole


72


opened outward the ground so as to allow the water stored within the water tank


60


to drain off for cleaning the inside of the water tank


60


, and a manhole cover


73


covering the opening of the manhole


72


.




Preferably, the water supply part


71


is comprised of a water path


75


connecting the storage part


62


to the external water source, a water valve


76


opening and closing the water path


75


, a float


77


sensing a level of the water within the water tank


60


, and a valve adjuster


78


opening and closing the water valve


76


according to the water level in the water tank


60


sensed by the float


77


. If the water within the water tank


60


is under a predetermined level, the water valve


76


is opened for water supply. Conversely, if the water within the water tank


60


is over the predetermined level, the water valve


76


is closed for suspending the water supply.




The communicator part


63


is so formed as to communicate the lower portion of the storage part


62


and the lower portion of the water pipe receiver part


61


. With this configuration, the water level of the water pipe receiver part


61


is maintained identically to that of the storage part


62


.




The water supply unit


80


is comprised of a water pipe


81


extended down to the water tank


60


through the rotary shaft


41


from the inside of the cabin


10


, and a water pump


82


pumping the water within the water tank


60


through the water pipe


81


into the cabin


10


, to thereby supply the water stored within the water tank


60


into the cabin


10


.




The water pump


82


is installed in the lower part of the sink unit


14


provided within the cabin


10


. The water pipe


81


is comprised of a discharge pipe


83


extended toward the sink unit


14


, the washstand (not shown) and the toilet


96


from an outlet port of the water pipe


81


, and a suction pipe


84


extended toward the water tank


60


from an inlet port of the water pump


82


.




The suction pipe


84


passes through the lower plate


11


of the cabin


10


, is then bent, to be extended to the pipe passing hole


44


in the central portion of the rotary table


42


through the space formed between the bottom face of the lower plate


11


and the top face of the rotary table


42


, is then bent again to be extended downward to the inside of the rotary shaft


41


, and is infiltrated in the water of the water pipe receiver part


61


through the water pipe passing hole


64


of the water tank


60


. The suction pipe


84


rotates together with the cabin


10


when the cabin is rotated.




To the extended ends of the discharge pipe


83


extended to the sink unit


14


and the washstand (not shown) from the outlet of the water pump


82


are mounted faucets


85


manipulated by the user. If the water pump


82


starts in response to opening of the faucets of the sink unit


14


and the washstand (not shown) or opening of the faucet of the toilet


96


, the water stored within the water tank


60


is pumped by the water pump


82


through the suction pipe


84


and is then supplied into the sink unit


14


and the washstand (not shown) or the toilet


96


through the discharge pipe


83


.




The draining unit


86


is comprised of a water collector


87


installed in the inner upper portion of the support column


21


of the support unit


20


, collecting sewage water therein, and a draining pipe


90


guiding the sewage water from the inside of the cabin


10


into the water collector


87


.




The water collector


87


takes a cylindrical shape having an upward opening. In the central portion thereof is formed a rotary shaft passing hole


95


through which the rotary shaft


41


of the rotary unit


40


passes. The rotary shaft passing hole


95


is disposed concentrically between the support column


21


of the support unit


20


and the rotary shaft of the rotary unit


40


. The water collector is comprised of a first storage


88


storing therein the sanitary water drained from the toilet


96


and a second storage


89


storing therein the sewage water drained from the sink unit


14


and the washstand (not shown).




The first and second storages


88


and


89


are disposed concentrically within the water collector


87


. The first storage


88


is connected with a septic tank


97


for containing the sanitary water, via a sanitary water discharge pipe


93


; and the second storage


89


is connected with an external sewerage system, via a sewage water discharge pipe


94


. The discharge pipes


93


and


94


are extended downward along the inner wall face of the support column


21


from the storages


88


and


89


, pass through the passing holes


36


of the support base


23


and are then extended to the septic tank


97


and the external sewerage system.




The draining pipe


90


is comprised of a sewage water draining pipe


92


guiding the sewage water from the sink unit


14


and the washstand (not shown) provided within the cabin


10


into the second storage


89


of the water collector


87


, and a sanitary water draining pipe


91


guiding the sanitary water from the toilet provided within the cabin


10


into the first storage


88


of the water collector


87


.




Each of the draining pipes


91


and


92


is extended downward from the sink unit


14


, the washstand (not shown) and the toilet


96


respectively so as to allow them to be rotated together with the cabin


10


and the rotary unit


40


when the cabin


10


is rotated. The draining pipes


91


and


92


are mounted so as for their respective lower outlets to be directed toward their respective storages


88


and


89


.




The configuration and installation of the draining pipes


91


and


92


will be described in more detail.




The sanitary water draining pipe


91


is extended downward from the toilet


96


provided within the cabin


10


to pass through the lower plate


11


of the cabin


10


. The extended sanitary water draining pipe


91


is bent after passing through the lower plate


11


of the cabin


10


, and is then extended to the central portion of the rotary table


42


through the space formed between the bottom face of the lower plate


11


and the top face of the rotary table


42


. Subsequently, the sanitary water draining pipe


91


is bent so as to be extended toward a upward opening of the first storage


88


, and then passes through the rotary table


42


. Finally, the sanitary water draining pipe


91


is installed so as to allow its lower outlet to be partially received in the first storage


88


. By this installation, the lower outlet of the sanitary water draining pipe


91


is rotated along the upward opening of the first storage


88


when the cabin


10


is rotated, and the sanitary water from the toilet


96


is stored in the first storage


88


through the sanitary water draining pipe


91


being rotated relative to a central axis of the cabin


10


and then discharged out to the external septic tank


97


through the sanitary water discharge pipe


93


.




The sewage water draining pipe


91


is extended downward from the toilet


96


provided within the cabin


10


to pass through the lower plate


11


of the cabin


10


. The extended sewage water draining pipe


91


is bent after passing through the lower plate


11


of the cabin


10


, and is then extended to the central portion of the rotary table


42


through the space formed between the bottom face of the lower plate


11


and the top face of the rotary table


42


. Subsequently, the sewage water draining pipe


91


is bent so as to be extended toward a upward opening of the second storage


89


, and then passes through the rotary table


42


. Finally, the sewage water draining pipe


91


is installed so as to allow its lower outlet to be partially received in the second storage


89


. By this installation, the lower outlet of the sewage water draining pipe


91


is rotated along the upward opening of the second storage


89


when the cabin


10


is rotated, and the sewage water from the sink unit


14


and the washstand is stored in the second storage


88


through the sewage water draining pipe


91


being rotated relative to the central axis of the cabin


10


and then discharged out to the external sewerage system through the sewage water discharge pipe


94


.




With this configuration, the sanitary and sewage water generated within the cabin


10


can be discharged outside.




The water supply unit


80


for supplying water into the cabin


10


and the draining unit


86


for discharging sanitary and sewage water within the cabin will enable the user to use the rotary cabin conveniently and pleasantly, with no need to use a common kitchenette, a common washroom and a common laboratory, etc. separate from the bungalow, since cooking, washing and easing nature, etc. can be solved within the cabin.




In the present embodiment, the ladder


19


is elevatably mounted to the cabin


10


for coming in and out. However, a fixed ladder may be, instead, installed to the fixed table


22


of the support unit


20


.




In the present embodiment, only the support unit


20


is provided, for supporting the cabin


10


and rotatably supporting the rotary shaft


41


. However, considering the weight of the cabin


10


, a plurality of auxiliary support units may be further provided outside the support unit


20


between the fixed table


22


and the ground. In this case, the cable for the external power supply may be installed to pass through the inside of one of the auxiliary support units.




Further, in the present embodiment, although the sanitary water and the sewage water have been separately treated, they may be treated by combination.




As described above, the rotary bungalow according to the present invention is provided with the water supply unit for supplying water into the cabin and draining unit for discharging sanitary and sewage water out of the cabin, thereby enabling the user to use the rotary cabin conveniently and pleasantly.




Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.



Claims
  • 1. A rotary bungalow, comprising:a cabin forming an inner space therein; a hollow rotary shaft extended downward from the cabin; a support unit rotatably supporting the rotary shaft; a water tank installed under the cabin; a water pipe extended between the water tank from the cabin through the rotary shaft; and a water pump pumping the water within the water tank through the water pipe to the cabin.
  • 2. The rotary bungalow according to claim 1, wherein the water tank is buried in the ground.
  • 3. The rotary bungalow according to claim 1, wherein the water pump is installed within the cabin, and the water pipe and the water pump are rotated when the cabin is rotated.
  • 4. The rotary bungalow according to claim 1, further comprising:a draining pipe extended downward from the cabin so as to discharge sanitary and sewage water from the cabin, being rotated along with the cabin; and a water collector provided in the support unit, storing the sanitary and sewage water from the draining pipe.
  • 5. The rotary bungalow according to claim 4, wherein the water collector includes a discharge pipe discharging the stored sanitary and sewage water in the water collector.
  • 6. The rotary bungalow according to claim 5, wherein the water collector is comprised of the first storage and the second storage disposed concentrically so as to store the sanitary water and the sewage water respectively.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number Name Date Kind
3599378 Kachnic Aug 1971 A
3905166 Kaiser Sep 1975 A